So it’s been a few days, and so far, I’m sticking to my New Year’s resolution to eat better. It’s around this time when I usually sabotage my efforts by giving myself a “reward,” in the form of a tasty treat, for staying on track. That usually involves a decadent chocolate dessert that doesn’t exactly fit under the healthy-eating umbrella.

I’ve never been able to diet. I can’t do it because I enjoy eating too much. (And since I’m a food editor, it is a hazard of the job!) Plus I never want to feel like I’m depriving myself. But like most people, I have a few extra pounds around my middle that I can’t wait to trim.

My BFF Jessica e-mailed me yesterday: she and her husband are trying to lose weight. To make their resolution a reality, Jessica decided she’s going to change what she makes for dinner, so she asked me for quick, healthy dinner recipes they can learn to make this year to eat healthier.

Well, let me tell you, picking just 5 quick dinner recipes is hard for me because I really love our recipes. So I picked recipes that will teach Jessica and her husband a few healthy cooking techniques that they can use to make other meals—like searing a chicken breast—or are super-flexible so she can tweak the recipe using what she has in her kitchen. These 5 recipes represent some of the essential basics of cooking—recipes (and...

“I’m working so hard and I still can’t lose weight.” As a nutritionist who specializes in weight management, I’ve heard this a lot over the years. Yes, these people usually are working hard. Often too hard. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re trying to shed pounds is to focus on the wrong things: false promises, unproven gimmicks, misguided perceptions about what it means to diet. (Twelve things you should focus on if you really want to lose weight.)

A smart, balanced approach to weight loss may not seem “sexy” or easy but getting caught up in weight-loss myths will only sabotage your success. Here are three top weight-loss myths, busted.

I love throwing parties. It’s a great way to get all of my friends together without all of us ringing up a hefty bar tab at our favorite watering hole. (Plus, we can listen to music we like!) The key to being the hostess with the mostest is being armed with some ridiculously simple crowd-pleasing appetizer recipes that come together in minutes. That way you don’t have to stress out doing anything too complicated before the party starts, and once your friends come over you can actually spend time hanging out. These 5 appetizers are perfect any time of year.